Sunday, 28 April 2024

The Battle of Dirschau 1627....(2) The game played through ...

Following on from a previous post (here), which covered setup and info ...the battle game report....

---oXo--

The Poles deploy an extra unit of hussars to bolster the centre...

The Swedes have started their advance...
The Poles wait for the right moment ...
The Swedish cavalry are moving up quickly
The Swedes charge and the Poles counter-charge....
The Swedes punch through the centre forcing back the Polish light cavalry, getting a bit ahead of their flank support.....on the flanks the Swedes have just about held the Poles back but lost some ground...
The Poles seize the opportunity of hitting the flanks of Swedes in the centre...
The Swedish centre hard pressed falls back as the cavalry melees on the flanks continue, one of the units routs. The Swedes have managed to push the hussars and their supporting pancerni back somewhat..
The Swedish King is badly wounded leading his men in a tough fight against the Polish light cavalry and is being led to safety..
The cavalry melees on the flanks still continue with no clear winners..
The polish light cavalry in the centre see off the remaining Swedish cavalry regiment opposing them. Some follow through and receive a volley from the infantry ...
while the rest fall on the rear of the Swedish horse ...
the Swedish cavalry left flank break and rout pursued by the Polish who pull up before getting too close to the infantry...; the Swedish cavalry on the their right flank break off and fall back - the Poles opposing them exhausted halt...
The Swedish King reaches safety, as the Swedish infantry holds a line while their cavalry retreats..
With no infantry support and fatigued the Polish cavalry fall back in good order towards their camp; the Swedish cavalry rally but with no fight left in them retire to their camp along with the infantry. 

---oXo---

Notes:
1. Commanders in Melee, each round check on health of commanders. 
    2D6, a double means commander has received a hit.. 
    1d6 saving throw;   1 - dead; 2 - badly wounded; 3 - light wound can continue; 4,5,6 OK

2. Result sort of followed history; with the Swedish king wounded.

Saturday, 27 April 2024

Cossacks ... bits and bobs ...

 A few bit and bobs, mostly work in progress, for the cossack project .....

Some sample castings painted ...

some artillery crew for a couple of light guns...
command figures for two units of registered cossacks (officer, drummer, standard bearer)

Saturday, 20 April 2024

The Battle of Dirschau 1627....(1) Information and Setting Up...

The battle of Dirschau was fought during the Polish-Swedish war of 1626-29 (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dirschau). I'd wanted to play a game based on this battle for a while; I noted down the basic particulars and found some maps in 2022 ready to tighten up the scenario definition. However as I got stuck into my Samurai project this battle game went on the back-burner. In 2023 I noticed the Via Regia blog was doing a game for Salute, so I followed the relevant posts with interest.

Finally I've taken my post-it off the reminder board (side of the filing cabinet next to my modelling desk) and decided to fight the battle with my 40mm collection. A chance to get my Polish army into action again.  I've drawn information form the Via Regia blog, including a scenario map; relevant posts below...

For the purposes of the game, I've used some of my TYW'ish horse and foot regiments to stand-in for the Swedish. Initial setup pictures of the battle Polish on the left, Swedish on the right... the whole table....


The Polish end of the table ...



the Swedish end of the table....



I may make a few tweaks to the setup before battle commences ....

Thursday, 11 April 2024

Cossacks ... first metal...

 Moulds made last weekend and some trial castings done yesterday..

I've had to add a few more air vents to the moulds, so far the figures are coming out reasonably well. I have a defect in one mould - air bubble from pouring provides and extra lump on the front of one figure - it may be possible to fill the hole with some mould compound.